culture – and so she thinks

Black History Month – Making a difference with diversity

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 11:38:35 +0000

‘Too white, too male, too middle class.’ It’s a soundbite we hear too often in the UK, and in 2013 was the words of an independent review Government review into skills and leadership in the voluntary sector, led by Dame Mary Marsh.
October is Black History Month, a time to celebrate and acknowledge black history, art and culture, and the value that diversity brings to society. This value exists in the third sector as much as anywhere else, but whilst there are a number individuals from BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) backgrounds doing amazing work, they are still underrepresented and their contribution under recorded.
A 2011 study by Clore Leadership found that BAME represent 7.7% of the third sector workforce – compared to 9% in the total workforce, and 14.9% of the population – increasing to 40.2% in London. One in four school children are from BAME communities – our society is becoming more diverse, and so the organisations and systems playing a part in those societies must become more diverse to be most effective. Organisations working for society should be attuned to the culture of the population they are serving, which is easier when the organisation is reflective of that group.
A workforce of individuals with varied backgrounds, cultures and experiences creates an environment in which different ideas and skills can come together and contribute to a more innovative and creative environment. It’s not only soft measures that are apparently improved by higher ethnic diversity – research by McKinsey showed that companies with higher ethnic diversity were 35% more likely to exceed industry averages in terms of their financial returns.

It’s clear that improving diversity is important, but how can this be best achieved. Some of the work that Charityworks trainees have undertaken has sought to answer this question.
Ensure that recruitment processes are fair and transparent
Widening the pool from which applicants come from by advertising in different areas, seeking out recruitment partners who focus on BAME, and ensuring that imagery and wording do not subconsciously set up a bias in favour of white applicants can all help to improve the recruitment process with a focus on diversity.
Improve monitoring systems
It is difficult to get in depth data about the representation of BAME within the sector. More detailed and robust processes will help monitor recruitment and enable changes to be implemented where necessary. This will mean that decisions can be more informed, and it will lessen the chances of unconscious bias impacting upon recruitment. Consistently using diversity monitoring data, not just collecting it, is crucial.
Encourage people to get involved at all levels
There are high levels of young BAME people volunteering, but those in positions of leadership are low. In the top 50 fundraising charities only 12 per cent of chief executives, 6 per cent of senior management team members and 8 per cent of trustees are non-white. Trustee positions, leadership roles and volunteering are all options to support charities and for individuals to engage in the third sector, and organisations must utilise the skills available to best serve their needs and the needs of their communities.
Role models
Having high achieving role models as inspiration can help generate enthusiasm and ambition amongst the next generation of leaders. Individuals currently working in the sector could become more involved in outreach work at educational institutions, cultural groups and increase presence in the community. One of the main barriers for recruitment is a lack of knowledge about the sector, and so actively building connections with BAME organisations and groups, making people aware of the opportunities available, and doing so in an inspiring way, is crucial.

Canterbury Festival 2015

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:35:03 +0000

Chaucer was a fan, David Copperfield loved its beautiful ‘hot light’ and Virginia Woolf believed there to be ‘no lovelier place.’ The country’s most eminent Archbishop lives here and the Romans resided here long before them. There’s an avant garde jazz style named after the city, and Christopher Marlowe drew huge inspiration from his birth place. Throw in a vibrant student population, inspiring Kent countryside and a vigour to make things happen, and it’s no wonder that Canterbury has become one of the brightest places in the south east for quality, innovative and inspiring art and culture.
This year’s Canterbury Festival is evidence of that. The multi arts festival takes place every year, and every year becomes bigger and bolder in its diversity and calibre. Kicking off on Saturday 17th October with street performances, the programme includes creative writing and literary debates with Save As Writers, humour and laughs with Andy Hamilton and Austentatious, a hilarious improvised comedy inspired by Jane Austen, and the controversial sounding Opera Naked. A fascinating programme of talks includes Julie Summers exploring Women on the Home Front and Anthony Stattin looking at the early life of T.E. Lawrence. A number of walks will introduce visitors to the city and residents to its hidden secrets, whilst the beautiful Cathedral plays host to the Canterbury Cathedral Choir and London Choral Society to perform Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
With over 200 events taking place, there’s a lot to choose from, and the varied and brilliant fortnight of arts will see over 60,000 people visiting the city. Tickets are available here.

The Bark of the Cinnamon Tree – Ashoka Sen

admin — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 19:37:00 +0000

The sensual image of The Bark of the Cinnamon Tree is an apt one for this collection of eighteen short stories. Simultaneously warm and severe, wintery yet growing, simple whilst highly stimulating. Ashoka Sen aims to articulate the difficulties and battles that spring from the fertile space where Indian and British cultures meet in her varied anthology, and does so with an acute eye and perceptive talent.
It’s all here.Tradition and legacy is explored in the aptly named Tradition, consumerism and labels in My MG, the place of a woman is the central tenet of The Silver Birch, ethical dilemmas are explored in An Imperfect Baby and April is the Cruellest Month is a pure romantic story. In a world where boundaries can often seem so flexible in theory but become rigid when testing, the communication of the exploration of culture and life is important, particularly when lending a weight to abstract affairs. Sometimes lyrical, sometimes conversational, sometimes contemplative, the anthology blends numerous styles in its attempt to traverse the muddy waters of identity and culture.
Whilst focusing upon British and Indian backgrounds it is made plain that those themes are muddy no matter what your familial roots or current abode, and in making the personal and specific universal Sen has positioned herself in the craft of great fiction.
Buy The Bark of the Cinnamon Tree.

A movie trip around Malta

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:34:00 +0000

Sunny skies, historic buildings, dramatic scenery and the cleanest seas in the Mediterranean (as well as favourable tax rates – the Malta Film Commission offer various incentives to attract overseas film-makers) have seen Malta play host to film makers from all countries and genres over the years. Check out some pretty spots on this tiny island to inspire your next holiday.

Valletta

The island’s capital, UNESCO World Heritage City Valletta is steeped in history. The sun baked walls and steep streets are home to a cosmopolitan vibe and thriving cafe culture. Whether strolling along the waterfront and enjoy views of the Grand Harbour, relaxing in the Upper Barrakka Gardens, avoiding pigeons in Republic Square whilst you refresh with a Kinnie and a pastizz, visiting baroque masterpiece St John’s Co-Cathedral with its ornate frescoes by Caravaggio, exploring Forts St Elmo and St Angelo, or touring the Grandmaster’s Palace, now home to the President’s office and the Houses of Parliament, there is tons to see. You can visit the secret bunker Lascaris War Rooms, used in the Malta Story (1953), where the Second World War defence of Malta and invasion of Silicy were managed. As one of the most strategically important locations in WWII, the citizens of Malta thoroughly deserved their Victoria Cross, as this location will show. Located near the gates is the historic Phoenicia Hotel, which will also appeal to film-lovers, having hosted everyone from Charlton Heston and Oliver Reed to Joaquin Phoenix, Pierce Brosnan and Rachel Weisz.

Filmed here: Captain Phillips, World War Z, Alexander, The Saint, Midnight Express and Malta Story

Mdina

Midina was once the capital of Malta and a settlement of Imperial Rome, taken over by the Turks, Knights of St John, and even the British, This tiny walled city is known as the Silent City and is made up of winding cobbled streets and mesmerizing views thanks to its strategic position on the high ground of the steep Sciberras peninsula. A mix of medieval and baroque architecture, historic buildings include the 18th century Vilhena Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral & Museum, Palazzo de Piri and the Mdina Dungeons are just some of the places to investigate in this captivating setting. Outside the old gates, horse pulled carriage rides in a traditional karrozzin are on offer. If you want to see more of the ‘real’ Maltese, explore Rabat (which means ‘suburb’ and is a strong indication of the Arabic influences upon language and culture), just outside Mdina.

Filmed here: Gladiator, Game of Thrones and The Count of Monte Cristo

Vittoriosa

Known as one of the Three Cities, together with Cospicua and Senglea, Vittoriosa is steeped in history, dating back to prehistoric times. A fortified city on the south, harbour inlets have been in use since Phoenician times, and a home to local people and industry. Redevelopment in recent years has seen the docks and waterfront become filled with culture and cafes, and some of the country’s best local fiestas take place down here. For a dose of prehistoric history (did you know Malta was once wandered by native pygmy elephants and hippos), visit Hagar Qim – an imposing temple built around 3600 BC. Of course, history and religion abounds, and the Church of St Lawrence and Inquisitor’s Palace reveal plenty about this city. If you want to travel scenically, consider a boat trip from Valletta to Vittoriosa in a traditional fishing boat, a dghajsa.

Filmed here: The Da Vinci Code, Swept Away and Gladiator.

Mellieha

Situated in the north west of the island, Mellieha’s sandy long beaches with shallow water make it popular with families, and it’s a more touristy area than some others. However, being less densely populated, it’s also home to many rare and protected species of wildlife, incuding as Malta’s only natural national park, Il-Majjistral Nature and History Park. Again the Order of St John had a significant influence here, and St Agatha’s Tower, built in 1647, can still be seen, as can the Mellieha Air Raid Shelter. Malta has 365 religious places of worship, and the pretty little Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha is another top place to visit. An those with families will love the Popeye Village, which was built as the set of the 1980 film starring Robin Williams. Today the climb over the wooden buildings allows for beautiful views.

Filmed here: Troy and Popeye Village

Arty places to rest your head

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:55:19 +0000

A few months ago, when visiting the cool little capital of Wellington, New Zealand I stayed in the beautiful Museum Art Hotel. Filled with beautiful sights and sumptuous surroundings, it was proof that where you sleep is about much more than the bed, but also how a little creativity can really elevate a hotel from a place to stay to somewhere that you want to be and actively explore.

LIFT – where the city meets the stage

admin — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 19:04:00 +0000

One city, 30 productions, 13 countries, 15 venues, 30 days, and a million emotions, passions, voices and subjects, LIFT festival is back in London for its 20th anniversary. Combining poetry, performances, acting, immersion and experiences that cover the sometimes surprising, shocking, variegated and vast nature of this amazing world in which we live, the festival continues to push the boundaries of theatre. Using theatre as a way to explore the world, the London International Festival of Theatre integrates art forms to create powerful performance that speaks to and of the world.

As director Michael Ball says ‘LIFT 2014 comes at a time when the world is experiencing seismic change – in our climate, in governments and, perhaps most significantly, in ways in which we can communicate with each other. We have looked at what makes up this astonishingly vibrant and tolerant city and made it a stage on which artists with radical imaginations will conjure visions of other lands, enthralling us with stories born in the worlds from which they come.’
Some of these artists work in circumstances that can be difficult or even dangerous, and LIFT gives voice to their revealing work, connecting us all with the big issues of our times. Invigorating, evocative, and wholly original, the programme is one that will you have you thinking and talking – which is what good theatre should always do. It also utilizes multiple venues, including The Tabernacle in Notting Hill, Peckham Liberal Club, and WIlton’s Music Hall, introducing people and places.

Highlights include After A War, where 23 international artists and companies from the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America, reflect on the impact and legacy of WWI, this first truly global event and on contemporary issues of war and peace. There also explorations of the beautiful game in this World Cup year, in Michael Essien, I want to play as you…which looks at football as a way out of poverty, and Turfed which uses the philosophy of football to explore the global issue of youth homelessness. Change For A Tenner is a series of gatherings about change, both big and small, is an inspiring collection looking at everything from the value of art to the impact of the baby boomers, and our capacity to make a difference.
It’s certainly entertainment to make you think, but not in a proselytising fashion. This is provocative art that entertains as it educates and forces us to ponder the world around us and our place in it.
Running throughout June, get your tickets here.

Athens, grittily getting on

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:40:43 +0000

Pelts of heavy rain hit my highly permeable clothing, as I amble between cars and puddles, trying to avoid them both, all the while ducking trees and keeping an eye out for a place of refuge – a café.
The hen do hasn’t gone quite to plan. Our beautiful spacious apartment is indeed beautiful and spacious, but also miles from civilisation. Ironic, given we are in the nation that invented it. Suburbia Athens style, public transport is sparce, and the Acropolis truly a pilgrimage. Add to this the torrential rain and gloomy skies, and it is fair to say that the reality is a little different from our images of a sun drenched sophisticated city break.
But this is an opportunity to discover Athens through the eyes of the Athenians. Not the ancients, Zeus and his cronies, where deities an devotions ruled sway, but Athens in 2012, perpetually teetering on the edge of the economic lifeline of a tumble to the abyss of financial desolation.
As in any Eastern European of Mediterranean city, the café I sit writing this in is not full of the yummy mummys that frequent such places in leafy west London, but men at least twenty years past being ‘of a certain age,’ sipping their thimbles of coffee, stroking their balding heads, and waving their hands animatedly as they debate their manifestos for the way the world should be. Greek is a difficult language, and one I am unable to fathom, but one gets the feeling that the tirades of emotion or delicately and deliberately stated points, as well as the headlines on newspapers that line the walls of the shops where windows once were, are not concerned with the latest plastic celebrity gossip.The ‘chatter’ I find myself next to the plane warns me to watch my bags and to be wary of pickpockets. ‘ Like any city, I say?’ Living in London, I know the perils of leaving my valuables, or even non valuables, on show for all to grab at. ‘No, not like any city’ he says ‘the people are hungry.’ Everywhere we go in the suburb of Mardisoi, the suburb in which we are staying, we are met with bafflement as to why we are in Athens, and the joke is not lost on us that it’s not for the weather.
Everyone we meet is friendly, to the point at which it is alarming that the fact that it strikes us, shows how rare it must be to see seven girls in their mid twenties here on holiday, and interested in their surroundings. Harried shoppers not only painstakingly explain the directions to our destination, but even lead us there. The complexities of a Greek menu are drawn in pictures, and the owner of our apartment even pops round one evening with the most decadent chocolate cake this side of Belgium, in celebration of my friend’s impending nuptials.
Despite the bleak economy, bleak weather, and bleak crumbling buildings, there is a sense of stiff upper lip, although obviously administered with Mediterranean pizazz. Athens is a place obsessed with the perfect form. From the ancient Doric columns, elegantly tapering to the top, the dedication to the goddess of everything, to the intricate attention that is given to pouring the perfect cup of coffee.
The milk is thick, my coffee bitter, my feet wet, and my eyes tired. I won’t be sad to go home. But I do hope to return to Athens when it is in a good mood, as even this dampened Athens is one of welcome.

What makes a festival?

admin — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:42:31 +0000

Conference for Festivals: ‘Capacity to Endure’
7, 8, 9 November 2012
The Southbank Centre and The Barbican

Festivals have been having a tough time of it. Thousands are held every year, spanning all types of music, arts and culture, and from a high point a couple of years ago, economic and environmental pressures have caused some crashes. A forthcoming conference from the British Arts Festival Association aims to address the question of what festivals and their futures, and how they can not only endure hard times, but contribute towards the communities and societies in which they operate.
The Conference for Festivals: ‘Capacity to Endure’ running over 7th, 8th and 9th of November 2012 at The Southbank Centre and The Barbican features a host of talks, workshops and panels, covering the spectrums of social, economic and environmental sustainability.
It’s not only due to our amateur business skills and lack of interest in accounting that It’s All Happening really do believe in the capacity for festivals to ‘do good’ for the places and faces they touch.
The ethos and emotion of a celebration of creativity is one that inspires most people to start and visit festivals, and such intangible reasons for being are also credible signs of success. One of the key speakers on Social Sustainability is Matt Burman, Head of Programme and Audiences, Warwick Arts Centre and he puts it thus ‘We need to move on from measuring impact in economic terms – the language of miserly bean counters – and talk about the emotional impact, the effect on quality of life, about values of creativity and inspiration beyond those extrinsic factors dictated to us.’
Festivals are valued by audiences and participants for their cultural relevance, the opportunity to engage more deeply in something that matters, to entertain and stimulate, reconnect and discover, and for this reason should be supported.
Contributions to cultural diversity, community cohesion are difficult to measure, but a study by BOP on the effect that Edinburgh Festival had on the city during the 2010 event found that local people were on the whole very positive. . 93% of parents agreed that the Festival event had increased children’s imagination, 89% of locals agreeing that the Festivals increase their pride in their home city, 69% saying that they were now more aware of other cultures, and 55% of reporting feeling that the event had made a difference to their well-being. For giving people kicks, as things go, festivals are surely one of the best routes for communities to go down.
For the pen pushers, political executive and bureaucratic officials, the value of festivals will always be considered in pounds and pence. Unfortunately humans have not yet advanced enough to view the world by any other scale. This event aims to ask what does social sustainability really mean, and is there a more rounded way of judging the impact of an event upon inclusivity, collaboration, community engagement, cultural stimulation – and the contribution to the coffers.

iPod giveaway with Ireland and It's All Happening!

admin — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:22:34 +0000

It’s festival season and why not try something different and head to a fabulous festival in Ireland? There is a range of exciting events from theatre and visual arts to folk music, street performances, comedy events and art exhibitions. For those looking for an easily accessible summer escape with a difference, check out these seven fantastic festivals across the country from lively Dublin to the wild west coast, taking in the lush green countryside too. Each festival includes creative elements signifying the close cultural relationship between Britain and Ireland. Next Door Neighbours is a series of events taking place from June – October 2012.
The seven participating festivals are:
Cork Midsummer Festival 21 June – 1 July

Clonmel Junction Festival 6-15 July
Galway Arts Festival 16-29 July
Earagail Arts Festival 7-22 July

Absolut Fringe 8-22 Sept
Kilkenny Arts Festival 10-19 August
Dublin Theatre Festival 27 Sept -10 Oct
The Next Door Neighbours initiative is a series of festivals designed to encourage Brits to discover the beauty of Ireland and the exciting range of cultural events on offer. An Irish festival can offer music, literature, arts and so much more all rolled into a relaxing holiday in the beautiful setting of Ireland. For more information on all of the festivals and Irish holidays you can visit www.discoverireland.com
Rather excitingly, to celebrate and to help get you in the mood for a season of festivals www.discoverireland.com is offering you the chance to win an iPod Shuffle.
COMPETITION QUESTION
In how many venues are the festivities at the Dublin Absolut Fringe Festival being held?
a)      20
b)      30
c)       4
Just email us with your answer, and your name, music@itsallhappening.co.uk or submit your entry via the contact form. Closing date is end of August!